Passed SCBCD 5 with 82%

[dinesh pande]

With some luck, I cleared SCBCD5 today.

Here are some details (by the way if you are planning to take SCBCD3, then dont read this post any further) :
Previous EJB3 experience: zero
Previous EJB2 experience: 2 yrs (also certified in SCBCD earlier version)
Total preparation time : 3 days (8 hrs each)

What do you need to read:
If you want to learn EJB3, it is better to start with some book in the market (well, for a beginner all of them should appear the same, if you are keen on a name, use EJB3 from Orielly)

If your objective is to just pass the exam (like most ppl do), On this occassion, I really doubt if one can pass this exam by just reading a book, even if they do, it will just be scraping through the pass mark (and probably this is the reason we wont have a SCBCD5 book from HeadFirst for a while). Alternatively,If you want to pass comfortably, then you must read the specs in addition to any book which you may have read.

Well reading the 3 specs is a guarenteed way to pass, but they are so huge, dont know where to start?? Alright, if you want above 90% marks, there is no way but to read the specs thorougly. But if you just want to pass comfortably, lets say above 70%, then you can buy the mock tests provided by Sun. I think these mock tests can be purchased in the same web page where there is info about SCBCD exam by Sun.

Oh, there are mock tests from Sun on SCBCD5, that's cool, tell me more about them: Well they cost around 40 pounds, in return you get 2 mock exams (i.e., 2 * 61 questions). The questions in these exams will be of the same standard as the actual exam. Well, as you can guess, you dont get the same questions in the exam. Now, coming back to the earlier question as to which bits to read from the spec, these mocks help you a lot. Each answer is explained and has references to various sections of the spec. So if you read and understand all the answers and read through the linked sections of the spec, I think you are sure to pass and this will save you the headache of reading all the 3 specs from start to finish.

I think I pretty much answerd all that I know, if there are relevant questions to which I know the answers and are not already answered, I will try to answer the posts.

Good luck..

===============
SCJP(old),SCJP(new),SCBCD(old),SCBCD(new),SCWCD,SCDJWS,SCJD,SCEA & a few other non-sun exams

[Aaron Raja]

cool Dude!

[Mohit Chadha]

Congratulations!

[Shivani Chandna]

Congrats

[Senthil Kumar]

congratulations first,

This is unbelievable, how come you were able to read/prepare for the exam just in 24 hrs.That too, without any work experience on it. I have been studying the specs for the past 2 weeks. cudnt pass the session beans chapter. i do have oreilly book, but found it bit boring.

Did you ever practice the programs along the way.i do not have time to practice what i read. is it wise to take the exam just by reading the specs and not actually doing coding.

How long does it actually takes to read the oreilly book?

[Ali Gohar]

Congratulations

[dinesh pande]

Hi Senthil,

There's something you have missed in my post. 2 yrs prior EJB experience and prior SCBCD3 certification.

What SCBCD5 tests, is not real world experience, but just the syntax. And yes it took only 3 days to read the new syntax. Don't forget, I only scored 82%, but yahh, if I studied the specs for 3 weeks (OR) 3 months, then I would have got close to 100% (which was'nt my objective).

Hope that should clear your questions.

[Senthil Kumar]

dinesh, i was referring your ejb3 experience.Are you sure that SCBCD doesn't tests the coding ability in ejb3.

[Shivani Chandna]

Hello Dinesh:

Could you please guide us as to which parts of specification are important?

Thanks,
Shivani.

[dinesh pande]

Senthil,

I dont know how to answer your question, as the term "coding ability" can be interpreted in various ways. I mentioned, in my earlier posts that the exam tests various EJB3 concepts including the syntax. Ofcourse, the syntax and the features will all be used during coding. But do you need to be an experienced programmer in EJB3 to pass the test? The answer is no.

In other words if you understand the syntax /features / do(s) /dont(s) of EJB you will pass, it does'nt mean you have necessarily worked on a project using those features.

[dinesh pande]

Hi Shivani,

All the parts of the specification are equally important. However, if you dont want to read the entire spec, please read my original post as to how you can possibly avoid.

[Senthil Kumar]

dinesh thanks for your valuable points

[Fisher Daniel]

Congratulation to you...

Which book is better for preparing this SCBCD 5 exam?

thanks
daniel